$125 being sent to Craig to invest in the stock market?! What? Are you kidding??

Well, this one will surprise you folks. Of that I'm certain.

Today's free money recipient is Craig, who emailed me a few days ago and asked for money to invest in a particular company listed on one of the major stock indexes.

Given the up and down (mostly down) nature of the market in the last month, you might think this sounds like a ridiculous idea. Well, I never said your request for free money had to make perfect sense or even be logical. But in all reality, I think that Craig has the right idea.

I don't know a lot about investing. But I do know that the old saying "buy low, sell high" makes a lot of sense. If the market is down and you've had your eye on a particular company that has a good business but whose stock has been hit hard by a volatile market, it only makes sense that you'd want to jump in and buy when the price is at its lowest. Its a good business decision and a smart move.

So Craig, I'm sending you a money order for $125. I'll add your stock ticker to my "watch" list and keep an eye on things to see if you have success with your investment.

For the rest of you, keep those requests coming! Maybe I'll find a little money for you to invest too.

$20 each to four great people who want a little fun money

Well, I just mailed out four letters, each with $20 inside to four different folks who had four different needs for money.

I know $20 doesn't seem like a lot. But I know that if I were to find a $20 bill on the ground, it would still make my day. You can take the kids out for burgers and ice cream and still have enough left over for a movie or two from the Redbox kiosk. Or it could put a few gallons of gas in your tank. You could even just save it for a rainy day.

So Michael - please put this toward the college fund.

Daniel - I hope $20 helps with car maintenance.

Christine - It won't make a whole house payment, but I hope you appreciate just a little help.

Other Christine (ha ha) - School clothes for the kids. This should get a pair of jeans or a couple t-shirts or polos.

See you all in a few days with my next update.

$100 to Eric to help raise money for wounded soldiers

I don't do a lot of charity donations via this site. I tend to prefer to give to individuals who send in their own personal requests for help. But I did receive a request from a person who was looking for money not for himself, but to raise money for servicemen and women injured while serving our country, the United States of America.

Today, I've given $100 to the Wounded Warrior Project via Eric's Warrior Dash fundraiser.

This is a worthy cause and something I'm proud to be able to support. If it so inclines you, consider giving a dollar or two of your own via this link.